Las Vegas, NV (AP) - A federal appeals court has upheld a Nevada judge’s ruling requiring Station Casinos’ Red Rock Casino to bargain with the Culinary and Bartenders unions.
The ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is a victory for the union in a years-long fight to unionize about 1,350 employees at the Las Vegas-based casino company it accuses of refusing to negotiate in good faith.
Union leaders accused Red Rock of undercutting a December 2019 union election by enhancing health benefits and retirement accounts just days before the vote.
U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro identified what she called a “landmark violation” of federal labor law in July. She ordered the company not to threaten, discipline or interfere with employees because of their membership or support for the union.
The company argued Navarro abused her discretion by overturning the vote by employees to reject the Culinary Union and punished the company “because Station Casinos treated its team members too well.”
The three-judge panel of the San Francisco-based 9th Circuit disagreed.
“New employee benefits were announced just days before the union election, and there was extensive evidence that those benefits were designed to discourage union support” or to take away union power,” the ruling said.